The Food Network: Food For Thought

Exploring Popular Food Network Shows

We watch four channels in our house: The History Channel, Discovery, Comedy Central, and The Food Network channel. When I first heard about the Food Network, I laughed – a whole channel dedicated to food? Not only were there late-night fast food ads to tempt my cravings, there was also a channel with non-stop food, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I avoided the channel as much as possible in the beginning.

When we got our TV, it came equipped for high-definition programs. There weren’t that many HD programs offered for free, but the Food Network was one of them. We had no choice but to check it out just to see what HD TV was like. That day, the Food Network was running a marathon on barbeque cooking competitions. We sat transfixed to the screen for the whole weekend and shortly after that, my roommate decided to embark on some experiments with the barbeque.

My favorite food network shows tell the history of favorite foods, such as the show “Unwrapped,” which provides a detailed, behind-the-scenes history of classic American food. On one occasion, we watched an “Unwrapped” marathon and by the end of it, we found ourselves making a midnight junk food run to the grocery store. Such is the power of food TV.

Meet the Chefs

I am not big on following recipes. I am the kind of cook who looks at a dish and comes up with my own version.

I rarely measure ingredients, but I know what works and what does not. I like to watch the chefs on the Food Network from time to time in order to get ideas. I find the chefs on the Food Network entertaining and their recipes are not so complicated that you need a degree in culinary arts to follow them. One chef in particular has made a huge name for himself and has established quite a following.

BAM!

Emeril Lagasse has always been the top Food Network chef. He is charismatic, fun to watch, and his passion for food is infectious. He started out as a kid working in a Portuguese bakery in Fall River, Massachusetts, turned down a music scholarship in favor of going to culinary school and the rest is history.

From there, he specialized in French cuisine until Ella Brennan, a prominent figure in New Orleans culinary circles, discovered him. If you enjoy Cajun food, his show is the one to watch. Emeril is dedicated to using only the freshest ingredients and often gets his ingredients from smaller ranchers, farmers and anglers rather than from big corporations.

In addition to “Emeril Live” and “Essence of Emeril,” he has a new show for kids called “Emeril Live: There’s a Chef in My World,” highlighting recipes from his new cookbook of the same name.

Barefoot in the KitchenIna Garten rode the first wave of the popularity of cooking when she bought the tiny, specialty food shop called The Barefoot Contessa in the Hamptons in 1978. Turning that small store into a food empire, Ina is The Barefoot Contessa, who makes food that is elegant yet accessible for the average viewer. Her shows feature wonderful food that looks delicious and impressive. During her show, Ina teaches you the tricks of the process of cooking so that the intimidation factor vanishes and you are ready to tackle a complicated dish all on your own.

The Queen of QuickIf you want to learn how to cook meals that take 30 minutes or less, Rachael Ray is the chef for you. Rachael wrote her first cookbook in 1998 called “30 Minute Meals.” In the first year, 10,000 copies of the book were sold. Ten years and a dozen books later, Rachael now has a successful cooking show on The Food Network.

The show’s concept began when Rachael used weekend cooking classes to promote sales of the grocery store she worked in. The media caught wind of the classes after they became popular with the public and, shortly after that, Rachael had her first television show on a local Albany station. One thing led to another when a Today Show producer read her book and invited her to be on the show.

That show caught the eye of a Food Network producer. Rachel’s show now airs several times a day on the Food Network.

Samurai in the Kitchen

One of the most dynamic Food Network shows is “Iron Chef.” This show pits an Iron Chef against a challenger to create dishes from ingredients that are revealed the day of the competition. A panel of guest judges then decides which dish is best. Among the chefs in the competition is Hiroyouki Sakai, who combines Japanese and French cuisine; Masahiko Kobe, the “Prince of Pasta”; Masaharu Morimoto; Chen Kenichi, specializing in Szechwan cooking; and Rokusaburo Michiba, the first Japanese Iron Chef.

The Food Network has more to offer than your basic cooking show. Here are a few of my favorites:

Ace of Cakes

This show chronicles Chef Duff Goldman’s custom cake business, Charm City Cakes in Detroit. Duff has a unique approach to making custom cakes, known to use power tools and blow torches to make his creations. Having done some custom cake decorating myself, I can appreciate the creativity of his designs. With the talented, but slightly off-center cast of rock-and-roll bakers, it is not your average Mom and Pop bakery. This show is definitely worth watching.

Dinner Impossible

I caught this show last night and found it exciting to watch.

Each week, Chef Robert Irvine is presented with a culinary challenge he has to solve in a limited amount of time. For example, in an upcoming show, Irvine has only 4 hours to put together enough food and equipment gathered from tailgaters at a Philadelphia Eagles football game to prepare a lunch for 40 Eagle executives. In the City of Brotherly Love, will he be able to “Beg, Borrow, and Steal” everything he needs to make the meal? I think I am going to have to watch this one more often.

BBQ with Bobby Flay

Bobby Flay, grilling guru, travels throughout the United States, seeking out obscure barbeque joints to bring us new and inventive ideas from the grilling world. I never knew about “Beer Can Chicken” or grilling salmon on a cedar plank until I saw his show. Part of the fun of this show is meeting the amazing characters along the way and the tools that he discovers for the art of barbeque. Do you know what a pigtail flipper is? Tune in to BBQ with Bobby Flay and enjoy this part travelogue and part cooking show.

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

One thing I have noticed living out in the Nevadadesert is that we do not have any of those good old greasy spoon diners I used to see back east.

I still miss a cheeseburger and fries at a Greek diner at three in the morning. Host Guy Fieri visits diners all over America and some of the food he finds is truly amazing. If you go to the Food Network site, they have a list of every diner, drive-in and dive Guy has visited in case you would like to visit them too.

Unwrapped

Do you ever wonder where potato chips came from? How do they get the creamy filling in the middle of a Twinkie? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? The Food Network’s “Unwrapped” explores all of these questions and more as they take you behind the scenes of some of the most popular fast foods and snacks in America. I warn you though, watch it at your own risk. You might find yourself with an uncontrollable urge to raid the cupboards for junk food.

How to Boil Water

If you get inspired watching an Emeril marathon, but your kitchen experience is limited to ordering take out from the sheaf of menus that you keep by the phone, this Food Network show is just for you. Hosted by Tyler Florence along with a changing cast of novice chefs, this show is touted as your own private cooking school.

With episodes such as “Don’t Chicken Out” where we learn the basics of roasting the perfect chicken and “S is for Stew” which features a savory lamb stew and buttered egg noodles, watching any of the over 100 episodes of this show will teach you how to boil water and then some.

Do It Yourself

Don’t feel like scrambling for a pencil and paper during your favorite Food Network show? Never fear – there are books full of recipes available so that you can sit back and enjoy the show. Most of the top Food Network chefs have cookbooks that are sold online or in your local bookstore. From Tyler’s Ultimate by Tyler Florence to Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver, these cookbooks often showcase a particular host’s style and strength. As you watch your favorite cooking show, do you feel that your tiny apartment kitchen is coming up short? No problem! Food Network chefs have lent their name and expertise to popular cookware lines such as the Italian Essentials enamelware pot by Mario Batali (which goes wonderfully with his soft-grip pizza cutter), and the entire anodized cookware set by Rachel Ray. Your food might not taste any better, but at least you have the satisfaction of cooking with your favorite TV chef’s tools.

Whether you are looking for quick cooking tips or how to barbeque a rack of ribs to perfection, the Food Network is an excellent resource for cooking information. It does not matter what your skill level is in the kitchen, there are plenty of ideas to go around. Even if you prefer to order takeout rather than experiment in the kitchen, there are Food Network shows available for everyone. There are shows that explore the history of certain foods as well as shows that provide obscure food facts. Who wouldn’t want to take an armchair trip to the World BBQ Cook Off? Grab your remote, have a seat in front of the television and try to ignore that rumbling in your stomach.

Which Food Network Chef Are You?If you are a foodie, chances are pretty good you have a favorite Food Network chef. If not, you may wonder why everyone you know is so addicted to watching other people cook on television. What is all of this celebrity chef hype, anyway? Take this quiz to find out which chef you most resemble in the kitchen and why certain strange words and phrases related to cooking have become part of America's vocabulary.

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